Thursday, October 19, 2017

Putting the bulbs to bed

Planting bulbs is a sign of a gardener's incurable hope. We stick these weird little brown things into the ground, believing they will come up in the spring, right where we planted them and that we will be here to enjoy them. That the world will, indeed, still be here.

On a recent warm, sunny afternoon I was on my knees surrounded by paper bags, mesh containers and minute plastic bags full of bulbs: Iris histroides and reticulata, Muscari, Narcissus, Nectaroscordum and Tulips. I've grown all of these things before in one garden or another. The only ones that are completely new to me this time are Tulips 'Absalon' and 'Madras' and Narcissus cantabricus (below).

It's always amazing to see the variations in bulb sizes. Most of the Tulip and daffodil bulbs I've planted are similar in size. But the Narcissus cantabricus bulbs were smaller than the Muscari 'Valerie Finnis' I was planting at the same time. N. cantabricus will only be about 6 inches tall in bloom which is very tiny for a daff. But supposedly the flowers are long lasting. Aren't they beauties? I only planted ten bulbs of N. cantabricus but that should be enough to give me a little display and show me if I should order more and how many.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS IMAGE

I only ordered a little over 150 bulbs from three specialty nurseries: Brent and Becky's Bulbs, Old House Gardens and Odyssey Bulbs. Most were just few bulbs to see what specific varieties look like before I take the plunge and order more. Frankly, I don't have the best conditions for many kinds of bulbs so this is a more sensible way for me to add bulbs to the garden. If you are not familiar with them, these nurseries offer many rare and unusual bulbs with prices to match so getting only a few also makes sense economically.

Among the other special flowers I ordered is Tulip 'Madras', an older variety that Old House Gardens says is “golden-bronze, the outer petals being flushed plum.” Plus it’s fragrant, as is the companion I planted it with: 'Prinses Irene'. I've been growing 'Irene' (below) for a while and love its melon color which is brushed with bronzey purple. I planted both of these Tulips under my weeping purple beech which emerges with both bronze and orange tints. I'm hoping for a harmonic marriage.

I also ordered just a few bulbs of ‘Absalon’ from OHG. This is a brown Tulip from the 18th-century and is "intricately patterned with swirling flames of dark chocolate and chestnut on gold." It’s a true broken tulip, a Dutch Bizarre from the Hortus Bulborum, which means I can't plant it with my other Tulips or Lilies on the chance it might infect them with the virus that gives it its beautiful patterning. I think I've found a safe home for this historic variety. I will know come spring . . .

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Putting the bulbs to bed

Planting bulbs is a sign of a gardener's incurable hope. We stick these weird little brown things into the ground, believing they will come up in the spring, right where we planted them and that we will be here to enjoy them. That the world will, indeed, still be here.

On a recent warm, sunny afternoon I was on my knees surrounded by paper bags, mesh containers and minute plastic bags full of bulbs: Iris histroides and reticulata, Muscari, Narcissus, Nectaroscordum and Tulips. I've grown all of these things before in one garden or another. The only ones that are completely new to me this time are Tulips 'Absalon' and 'Madras' and Narcissus cantabricus (below).

It's always amazing to see the variations in bulb sizes. Most of the Tulip and daffodil bulbs I've planted are similar in size. But the Narcissus cantabricus bulbs were smaller than the Muscari 'Valerie Finnis' I was planting at the same time. N. cantabricus will only be about 6 inches tall in bloom which is very tiny for a daff. But supposedly the flowers are long lasting. Aren't they beauties? I only planted ten bulbs of N. cantabricus but that should be enough to give me a little display and show me if I should order more and how many.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS IMAGE

I only ordered a little over 150 bulbs from three specialty nurseries: Brent and Becky's Bulbs, Old House Gardens and Odyssey Bulbs. Most were just few bulbs to see what specific varieties look like before I take the plunge and order more. Frankly, I don't have the best conditions for many kinds of bulbs so this is a more sensible way for me to add bulbs to the garden. If you are not familiar with them, these nurseries offer many rare and unusual bulbs with prices to match so getting only a few also makes sense economically.

Among the other special flowers I ordered is Tulip 'Madras', an older variety that Old House Gardens says is “golden-bronze, the outer petals being flushed plum.” Plus it’s fragrant, as is the companion I planted it with: 'Prinses Irene'. I've been growing 'Irene' (below) for a while and love its melon color which is brushed with bronzey purple. I planted both of these Tulips under my weeping purple beech which emerges with both bronze and orange tints. I'm hoping for a harmonic marriage.

I also ordered just a few bulbs of ‘Absalon’ from OHG. This is a brown Tulip from the 18th-century and is "intricately patterned with swirling flames of dark chocolate and chestnut on gold." It’s a true broken tulip, a Dutch Bizarre from the Hortus Bulborum, which means I can't plant it with my other Tulips or Lilies on the chance it might infect them with the virus that gives it its beautiful patterning. I think I've found a safe home for this historic variety. I will know come spring . . .